REZA DERAKSHANI
Reza Derakshani was born in 1952 in Sangsar, Iran. He is a vocalist and virtuoso of several Persian instruments, including tar, setar, ney, kamancheh, and guitar. Infused with an Eastern sensibility and employing Eastern instrumentation, Derakshani's music is seductive yet devotional. He combines elements of ancient Persian and contemporary musical approaches, as well as World Music from Morocco, Africa and India; and Western jazz, rock, and classical music to create new sounds that bridge these diverse cultures. Derakshani has performed with musicians such as John Densmore of the Doors, David Darling, Brandford Marsalis, Madonna, Clara Ponti, and Steve Shehan (percussionist for Paul Simon) among others. He composed the main theme for Butimar Productions' Koffar documentary and is currently working on arranging the soundtrack for this film.